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MPs have begun to take the prospect of Scotland breaking away seriously

POOREST WOULD LOST MOST: MILIBAND

The poorest people stand to lose the most if an independent Scotland loses the pound, Labour leader Ed Miliband said.

He confirmed that he could not agree to a "eurozone-style currency union" if Scotland votes Yes to independence and he becomes UK prime minister in May.

However, the SNP has challenged Mr Miliband to explain how he would head off the cuts to Scotland's budget that would flow from the "privatisation of the NHS" in England.

ROW OVER £317M BILL FOR CONSULTANTS

The Government paid at least 30 consultants up to £2,000 a day last year, an investigation has revealed.

According to figures obtained by the BBC Newsnight programme, the specialists were hired by six different departments.

Ten were taken on by the Department of Transport, eight worked at the Ministry of Justice, five at the Department of Energy and Climate Change, four at the Home Office, two at the Treasury and one at the Ministry of Defence.

FREE FOIL SCHEME TO HEROIN ADDICTS

Heroin addicts will be given free foil as a way of helping them kick the habit.

The Government hopes the move will encourage users to inhale rather than inject class A substances.

Health professionals are currently prevented from issuing the foil, but will legally be allowed to do so once the change comes into force next month. It will apply both to the NHS and privately run treatment centres.

NICE: BREAST CANCER DRUG TOO COSTLY

A drug that can extend the lives of some women with an advanced form of breast cancer has been rejected for NHS use because it is too expensive.

The high price of Kadcyla makes it "impossible" to recommend for widespread use in the health service, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice) said.

The drug, also known as trastuzumab emtansine, is used to treat breast cancer patients with HER2-positive breast cancer that has spread to other parts of the body. It is used when the cancer cannot be surgically removed and the patient has stopped responding to initial treatments.

UK IRAQ MILITARY ACTION RULED OUT

Downing Street said there will be no UK military action in Iraq, following President Barack Obama's announcement that America is prepared to launch airstrikes in the north of the country.

The US President announced in a late-night televised statement that military planes had carried out humanitarian airdrops in the region and said America would take action if the lives of its troops in Iraq are at risk from Islamic militants.

A Downing Street spokeswoman said: "We welcome the action taken by the United States overnight to provide vital supplies to those Iraqis in desperate need who are fleeing from ISIL (Islamic State in Iraq and Greater Syria) terrorists."

NAVY COMMANDER REMOVED FROM POST

The first female commander of a frontline warship in the history of the Royal Navy, who left her vessel last month amid claims she had an affair with a shipmate, has been removed from her post.

A spokesman for the Royal Navy confirmed that Commander Sarah West had been "removed from command", but said she would remain in the service and be re-appointed to another post.

Cdr West, 42, took charge of Type 23 frigate HMS Portland in May 2012, but left her vessel in July when claims emerged that she had a relationship with a fellow sailor.

FUNDING AXE FOR 'EXTREMIST VIEWS'

Councils are to be given new powers to stop funding for early years providers with links to extremist views, Education Secretary Nicky Morgan will announce today.

She will also say that toddlers should be taught "fundamental British values" in an age-appropriate way as part of a drive to protect children from religious radicals.

This will include learning right from wrong, learning to take turns and share, and challenging negative attitudes and stereotypes.

3.2M NHS PATIENTS ON WAITING LISTS

More than 3.2 million patients were awaiting treatment on the NHS, according to the latest figures for June.

The statistics, which come just days after Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt announced a £250 million drive to eliminate "unacceptable" 12-month waits, show 521 people had been waiting for more than a year to start treatment.

By the end of June 93.8% of patients were enduring waits of up to 18 weeks, the figures from NHS England show.

WITNESS TELLS OF STUDENTS' MURDERS

A cafe owner who tried to help the two Newcastle University students stabbed to death while on a medical placement in Borneo described the scene of their killings as one he will "never forget".

Local police said four men arrested in relation to the murders of Neil Dalton and Aidan Brunger in the early hours of Wednesday morning had admitted the crime.

The owner of a bistro in the Jalan Padungan area of Kuching in Sarawak province, in the west of the Malaysian part of Borneo where the attack happened, said he saw one of the alleged killers calmly walk away after the incident, the Mirror reported.

SHAUN THE SHEEP TO TAKE CITIES TOUR

Giant sculptures of Shaun the Sheep will arrive in London and Bristol today ahead of a public arts trail next summer.

The 5ft tall versions of the Aardman Animations character have been decorated by celebrities, designers and artists to raise money for sick children.

Shaun In The City will showcase 120 giant sheep herded on the streets of the two cities, following the success of last year's popular Gromit Unleashed trail.

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The Editor

Mark Thoma

Liverpool-born Mark joined the Daily Post in January 2014 after seven years as editor of its Merseyside sister title the Liverpool Post. He started out as a weekly news reporter on Wirral Newspapers, and spent seven years at the Daily Post and Liverpool Echo. He was The Press Association's regional correspondent for North Wales, Merseyside and Cheshire from 1983 to 1997, before returning to the ECHO as deputy news editor. He has won a number of journalism awards, including the UK Press Gazzette Regional Reporter of the Year award, and in 1993 wrote a book on the James Bulger murder.